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#1
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Saffron
Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair
amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. -- Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap |
#2
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Saffron
In article , The Reids
writes Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? Yes, it's available. You'll find it listed among the ornamental species, but usually with reference to its use. Crocus sativus, Broadleigh bulbs are doing 30 for about £9. I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. -- Kay "Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river" |
#3
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Saffron
The Reids wrote in
: Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one flower, third year, leaves.... It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived in similar conditions. Victoria -- gardening on a north-facing hill in South-East Cornwall -- |
#4
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Saffron
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 10:15:31 +0100, Victoria Clare wrote:
The Reids wrote in : Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one flower, third year, leaves.... It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived in similar conditions. Victoria I saw something on the telly a few weeks ago that said about the same thing. They only grow for a couple of years (even in the best conditions) and then you have to move them and not grow any more in the same spot for something like 10 years (or whatever it is, but a pretty long time). At least that was a commercial grower. A crocus plantation in pots might be a better choice as you can change the soil, but a bit impractical on an allotment. -- Tim C. |
#5
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Saffron
The message . 10
from Victoria Clare contains these words: The Reids wrote in : Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one flower, third year, leaves.... It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived in similar conditions. IIRC it used to be grown commercially in the drier sunnier SE counties (Saffron Waldon got its name that way). I've had the same experience as Victoria in cool damp Scotland. Janet. |
#6
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Saffron
Following up to Kay
Yes, it's available. You'll find it listed among the ornamental species, but usually with reference to its use. Crocus sativus, Broadleigh bulbs are doing 30 for about £9. thanks, I'll contact them. -- Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap |
#7
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Saffron
Following up to Victoria Clare
It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. I'm on well drained soil on south sloping Kent "terroir" which will suit bulbs better than clay, wont it. It may not be Saffron Walden but I think it might be worth a try. -- Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap |
#8
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Saffron
The Reids wrote:
Following up to Victoria Clare It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. I'm on well drained soil on south sloping Kent "terroir" which will suit bulbs better than clay, wont it. It may not be Saffron Walden but I think it might be worth a try. Saffron Walden is on chalk, so liming would probably help grow them elsewhere. |
#9
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Saffron
Victoria Clare wrote in message .240.10...
The Reids wrote in : Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one flower, third year, leaves.... It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived in similar conditions. Victoria Ive been told by a lady who grew it (almost) commercially that it requires a cold winter to flower properly, plus I think the soil she grew it on was also fairly well drained so your point about the clay soil may also be pertinent. Mark |
#10
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Saffron
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message in reply to.. The Reids : Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. and after Victoria wrote.. I tried growing it when I was in Cheshire - found it difficult to get it to flower again after the first year - first year OK, second year, only one flower, third year, leaves.... It may be that it didn't get on with my heavy clay soil, or that it should have been in a south facing rather than east-facing bed. It is definitely not the easiest crocus - several other crocuses thrived in similar conditions. IIRC it used to be grown commercially in the drier sunnier SE counties (Saffron Waldon got its name that way). I've had the same experience as Victoria in cool damp Scotland. Same here, first year OK then it went downwards from there, and it was in our S. facing, well drained, front garden. -- Regards Bob in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK |
#11
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Saffron
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 08:35:54 +0100, The Reids wrote:
Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. The difficulty may lie in growing enough to yield a useful quantity. At a guess, to harvest a useful quantity of saffron, you need to plant several hundred bulbs of the crocus. And when the bulbs flower, the stigmas have to be picked daily as fresh flowers open -- slow, fiddly work with small return. I notice another reply mentions having to move saffron to fresh soil every few years. Is this because of disease build up, or because some important trace nutrient becomes exhausted? Anyone know? Also, is your allotment sunny and dry enough? I consider C. sativus a somewhat demanding crocus species, requiring warmth, sun, and quite dry soil in summer. I suspect it also does best in fairly rich soil, so may need regular (i.e. annual) fertilization. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada [change "atlantic" to "pacific" and "invalid" to "net" to reply by email] |
#12
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Saffron
In "The old days" the bulbs grown were British raised bulbs and were more
adapted to our weather, whilst I expect that the bulbs available today are imported from some part of the Mediterranean.......... -- David Hill Abacus nurseries www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk |
#13
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Saffron
Following up to Rodger Whitlock
Also, is your allotment sunny and dry enough? I consider C. sativus a somewhat demanding crocus species, requiring warmth, sun, and quite dry soil in summer. I suspect it also does best in fairly rich soil, so may need regular (i.e. annual) fertilization. Its very sunny and very dry. Next to a river, the soil being originally silt underlaid with gravel a few feet down. The cold winter requirement mentioned elsewhere might be a problem. -- Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap |
#14
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Saffron
Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:240588
"The Reids" wrote in message ... Anybody tried growing it? Is the crocus available? I use a fair amount of saffron so was considering a row on the allotment. -- Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap ----------------------- C. sativus needs exceptionally dry and hot summers to mature the new corms. Saffron is grown commercially in Spain and the Middle East. It is very labour intensive and grown where the soil is alkaline and well drained. With a change of climate we ought to be able to grow them again in about 100years! Posterity will do something for us!! Many years ago I used Chase cloches covering 200 corms [costing the earth] and after unlimited time and effort collected sufficient to equal a couple of 2/6 [half-crown] packets,~~ before giving up after three years!! The flowers are unusual in that they open and don't close again. Best Wishes Brian. |
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